The present invention refers to a device which introduces improvements in concession systems by evaporation of aqueous liquids in atmospheric air.
These systems rely on blocks which provide a large air/liquid contact area and which are sprayed by low-pressure sprinklers.
In air/liquid contact processes since 1970 a specific type of contact surface block is being used which is based on a plastic grid mounted on three-dimensional conducts, which shows very good properties for evaporation of aqueous liquids.
The present patent corresponds to a device which introduces significant improvements in the use of these contact blocks, increasing their effectiveness and achieving the following goals:
Introducing the possibility of carrying out the sprinkling from either the front or rear face of the blocks, as desired, by changing their physical position, thus achieving their self-cleaning.
Incorporating a secondary evaporation stage to the system sized in order to dehydrate and carry the concentrated liquid in the contact blocks to a solid configuration.
Benefit from the oxygenation of the liquid during contact with air so that, in the event there is organic matter in the liquid, a aerobic biological purification filter is introduced.
Using an air circulation configuration which causes minimum air resistance with a minimum ventilation energy consumption.
Allowing installation in the air inlet of thermal exchange elements in order to improve the properties of the atmospheric air by taking advantage of residual energy, particularly from the thermal engines.
Achieving the above goals in an aqueous liquid concentration device provides a process which can be applied with full efficiency to the elimination of polluted effluents and with the following advantages over other systems:
The process is very simple: evaporation occurs at room temperature with the recirculation pump for the liquid to be disposed of and the air intake fan being virtually the only mechanisms.
Air/liquid contact blocks are self-cleaning, which reduces maintenance, maintains a maximum degree of evaporation capacity and allows extending the concentration as much as possible.
The liquid concentration is carried to the precipitation of the dissolved solids or to the dehydration of the residual mud, depending on the initial type of spillage, so that its disposal ends with its transfer to a controlled dump or its use in ulterior processes.
The minimised loss of aerodynamic load of the air reduces the operational cost of the process.
The use of residual thermal energy to improve atmospheric air properties, particularly the residual thermal energy of thermal engines.
According to the above description the invention is characterised by employing a mechanism which allows alternate spraying of each contact block face.
In addition, it is characterised by incorporation of a secondary evaporation dehydration stage which takes the concentrate obtained from the recirculation of the liquid on the contact blocks to a solid configuration.
A further additional characteristic is the incorporation in the system of a stage for taking advantage of the oxygenation of the liquid in the form of a biological filter.
A further characteristic is use of construction designs which minimise the energy needed for air flow.
A final characteristic of the system is the possibility of incorporating thermal exchange elements at the air inlet in order to improve its properties by taking advantage of residual thermal energy.
Below is described in greater detail the device object of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking into account that these show a preferred embodiment of the device object of this application, albeit a non-limiting one.